1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of still image photography. In particular, the present invention discloses a spherical panoramic image camera rig adapted to accommodate a plurality of predetermined cameras where the rig captures a 360 degree spherical panoramic image. Using the spherical panoramic image camera rig, four cameras are precisely mounted for optimal spherical panoramic image capturing for environments with continual movement. Advanced and automated image processing of the captured images is enabled.
2. Background Art
At the present time, there are some known camera outfits and methods of creating 360 degree spherical panoramic images. However, most current systems are subject to limitations due to their physical size, weight, mechanical complexity, and arbitrary optical alignments. Additionally, the prior art systems utilize five or more cameras to produce the spherical panoramic images. This is not only expensive in equipment costs, stitching of the images is also complex and incapable of producing satisfactory images.
Some panoramic systems involve spinning a single camera to capture a panoramic view in a sweeping type motion while holding the shutter open. Others sequence a series of overlapping still images taken at periodic intervals as the camera is rotated on a tripod about a vertical axis. These still images are then introduced into a semi-automated software program called a “stitcher” that merges the overlapping still images into a single panoramic strip. The stitching process, in the aforementioned context, suffers from a number of shortcomings. The recommended process is prone to temporal artifacts since it captures each individual photo at a different time. As a result, the “stitched” pan image is not instantaneous but rather is made up of individual photos taken at different times and from different perspectives. This severely limits the usability of panoramic imagery in fluid situations. The time change during the series of images makes it nearly impossible to create panoramic images in environments where the scene is continuously changing (e.g. ocean shots, sports action, photo journalism, moving crowds, and the like).
With few exceptions, the prior art multi-camera panoramic outfits that simultaneously capture the required images greatly suffer from imprecise optical alignments, poor imaging control, and questionable optical quality. Such shortcomings often result in stitching artifacts or blemishes that mar the final panoramic product. Sometimes the blemishes can be repaired via human intervention, however, such repairs tend to be labor intensive and detract from the trend toward automation and low cost. Additionally, most existing systems are optimized for video, whereas the present invention is optimized for still 360-degree spherical panoramic professional photography.